Sunday, August 22, 2010

COZY DOG DRIVE IN

We are Route 66 junkies so anytime we come near Route 66 we make a special effort to find some of the icons still left from those glorious days.

Route 66 ran through Springfield, IL and the Cozy Dog Drive is still open and operating. It was packed when we were there with a really long line waiting to order.

The original dog-on-a-stick idea was conceived in 1945 when Ed stopped at a roadside cafe in Oklahoma. He observed them making a cornbread sandwich – a wiener baked in cornbread. It was good but it took too long to prepare.

So Ed and a friend of his experimented with different batters until they came up with one that would stick to the wiener when it was deep fried.

In 1946 the cozy dog was introduced at the Illinois State Fair and became an instant success. The drive-in was opened on Route 66 in 1949.

The important thing to remember when ordering the dog is not to ask for a corn dog. These are NOT corn dogs – they are cozy dogs. Enjoy.